Electroplating apparatus



Aug 3, 1944- R. H. oLsEN 2,355,236

ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS 'Filed Sept. 30. 1942 IIIVN Il f IIIII III f L gnam/VMM ,f /x/ f Po'wvEr 'n oLSL'N Patented Aug. 8, 1944 UNITED sTATEsPATENT oFFlcE nmc'morulmo APPARATUS Rodney H. Olsen, Racine, Wis. Application september so, m42, serial No. 460,242 1 Claim. (c1. 204-275) 4 This invention relates -to electroplating apparatus and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive apparatus -of this character by means of which various kinds of metal articles can be electroplated with greater facility and more expeditiously' thanheretcfore.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electroplating apparatus -including a tank adapted to contain a suitable plating solution or electrolyte having a plurality of electroplating units immersed therein and each including a solid cathode and a hollow anode, means being operatively connected with the hollow anodes for causing the circulation of the plating solu tion therethrough.

A further object of the invention is to pro- -vide the anodes with laterally extended perforated pipes andthe cathodes with article supporting racks disposed adjacent thereto so that the plating solution will be discharged through said perforated pipes within the hollow articles supported on the racks and thereby facilitate electroplating the interior of said hollow ar ticles. v l

"A further object is to provide the cathodes with -terminal suspension hooks for detachable engagement with a supporting rod mounted within the solution tank and further to insulate adjacent anodes and cathodes from each other and from the liquid conductor of the circulating Dump.

A still further object of the invention is genv erally to improve this class of apparatus so as to increase its utility, durability and efficiency.

,Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all. the figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of an electroplating apparatus embodying the present invention, certain of the ar-M ticles to-be electroplated being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of F18. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the anodes and its coacting cathode detached. Fis. 4 is a ltransverse sectional view taken the lined-4 of Fig. 3.

`Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

The improved electroplating apparatus formuid plating solution orelectrolyte, indicated'at 6, said tank having a longitudinally disposed supporting rod 'i mounted longitudinally in the upper portion thereof, as shown. Immersed,

within the solution 1 are a plurality of electroplating units each including a hollow anode 8 and a solid cathode 9 spaced apart by blocks of insulating material I0, there being bolts or other` fastening devices Il -extending through the blocks for holding the anode and cathode of each unit in assembled position.

Each anode is preferably in the form of a vertical pipe 0r tube having its lower end closed by 'a plug I2 and provided with intermediate laterally extending perforated branch pipes i3. Fitted in the upper open ends of .the tubes constituting the anodes are reduced pipe sections I4 which vextend vertically above the tank 5 and are provided with flexible coupling sleeves I! preferably formed of rubber and which serve to connect the hollow anodes withv nipples i8 depending from a liquid conductor Il. The conductor I1 is operatively connected with one side of a circulating pump I8 and connected with the opposite side of said-pump is a second conductor I9 communicating with the tank 5 near the bottom thereof so that when the pump is in operation, the plating 'solution will be circulated through the anodes and the perforated branch pipes thereof, as will be readily understood.

As a means for supporting the articles to be plated, the cathodes 9 are provided with vertically spaced racks 20, preferably formed of wire -and each having its intermediate portion s'ecured with the adjacent perforated branch pipe. By forming the racks in the manner stated, the hollow articles to be plated, indicated at 23, may

be supported' on ythe electroplating units with the perforated! pipes I3 discharging Within said electroplate the articles, thereby to thoroughly inner walls of said articles.

The upper end ciV themetal constituting each cathode is bent downwardly to form a hook 2l 'which fits over the supporting rod 'I and serves to suspend the plating units within the electrolyte. Secured to the anode and` cathode of each unit are the terminals 25 and 2l of an electric conductor leading toa battery or other source 'of electrical current (not shown). y.

Inoperation, the metal articles to be electro#` plated are supported in a horizontal positionA by the hooks ou they rack with the perforated branch pipes extending within the hollow articles, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. By now turning on the electric current and operating the pumpftheplating solution will be drawn from the bottom of the tank and through the pump and conductor I1 to the anodes and thence downwardly and laterally through the perfora-` tions in the branch pipes against the inner walls of the hollow articles thereby to electroplate said inner walls, the outer walls of the articles [being plated by the eiectrolytic action of the solution within the tank, as will be readily understood.

I In Figure 5 of the drawing there is illust-rated al modified form of the invention in which the plate 28 is not insulated from the tube 29. so that said parts together form a cathode 30, the anodes 3i being separate and independent elements. In using this form of the invention, the cathodes 30 and anodes 3| are suspended within the tank by hooks 32 engaging the adjacent rods' 33, the construction and operation of the device being otherwise similar to the apparatus shown in Fig. l.

It will, of course, be understood that the device may be made in diierent sizes so as to electroplate any desired number of articles at one time and that any kind of plating solution or electrolyte may be used, without` departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

An electroplating apparatus comprising a tank open at its upper end and adapted to contain an electrolyte, a rod mounted in the upper end of said tank at a point above the level of elec-v trolyte therein, a solid cathode disposed vertically in said tank and having a hook lat its upper end engaged over said rod to support the cathode in the tank in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, a tubular anodel disposed vertically along said cathode and closed at its lower en d, insulated `fasteners 'supporting said anode from the cathode in spaced and substantially parallel relation thereto, perforated branchtubes carried by said anode and projecting laterally from opposite sides of the anode and the cathode and having their inner ends communi'-l cating with the anode, brackets to support articles to be plated about the branch tubes formed from strands of wire each having its intermediate portion crimped and secured firmly against the cathode and its end portions projecting from opposite sides thereof and bent to form arms extending toward the anode and then laterally therefrom over the branch tubes and terminating in hooks, and a pump having a feed pipe communicating with the tank near the bottom thereof and a discharge pipe communicating with the upper end of the tubular anode.

RODNEY H. OLSEN. 

